Community Solutions International

Mission

Lever for Change 100&Change Awardee

Homelessness in the US is a $12 billion industry that doesn’t work. It affects an estimated 1.5 million people each year in the US alone, the majority of whom are people of color. Yet Community Solutions’ growing network of Built for Zero communities is proving it is a solvable problem. Thirteen US communities have ended chronic or veteran homelessness to date using our rigorous, data driven approach informed by public health breakthroughs.

Homelessness in the US is a $12 billion industry that doesn’t work. It affects an estimated 1.5 million people each year in the US alone, the majority of whom are people of color. Yet Community Solutions’ growing network of Built for Zero communities is proving it is a solvable problem. Thirteen US communities have ended chronic or veteran homelessness to date using our rigorous, data driven approach informed by public health breakthroughs. With 100&Change, 75 communities, including five of the country’s largest, will end homelessness for some or all populations by 2025. They will have created reliable and equitable local housing systems that prevent and quickly end homelessness for historically marginalized people. This overwhelming shift will establish new standards for communities’ efforts and new expectations of leaders for results. Our network and approach will be primed for expansion throughout the US and internationally to support this transformation.

Launched in April 2019, 100&Change(2021) was MacArthur Foundation’s second global competition for a $100 million grant to fund a single proposal promising real and measurable progress in solving a critical problem of our time. 755 proposals were submitted to the competition and were evaluated using four criteria: whether the proposals were impactful, evidence-based, feasible, and durable. The Top 100 proposals were announced in February 2020 and six Finalists were announced in July 2020. In April 2021, MacArthur selected Community Solutions as the $100 million Awardee for its project to accelerate an end to homelessness in 75 U.S. communities in five years.

Organization Information